Current water-wheel.



F. J. L- UIHQKN CURRENT WATE R WHEEL, APPLICATION FILED MAY 3.1916.

Patented Aug. 13, 1918.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

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I F. J. LUICK.

CURRENT WATER WHEEL.

AR PLICATION FILED MAY 3.1 916. v

. I Patented Aug: 13, 1918.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK J. LUICK, OF BELDING, MICHIGAN.

CURRENT WATER-WHEEL.

Application filed May 3, 1916.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, FRANK J. LUIOK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Belding, in the county of Ionia, State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Current ater-Wheel; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the san'ie.

This invention relates to an improved current water wheel or motor, and an object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of this kind more especially adapted to be submerged, in order to be operated by the under current.

Another object of the invention is to provide an under current submerged water wheel having the paddles thereof so pivoted to the arms of the wheel, that as the paddles are moving below a horizontal line transversely through the shaft of the wheel on one side the shaft, the under current of the water will act upon the paddles and impart a rotary or revoluble movement to the wheel.

Another object of the invention is to provide an under current water wheel having the blades so pivoted and provided with means, that when the blades in moving upwardly reach a horizontal line transversely through the shaft upon the other side of the shaft, the under current of the water will be deflected by the under faces of the blades, thereby increasing the momentum and action of the wheel.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved pivoting means for each blade, whereby the blade or paddle may rest upon the arms of the wheel to be contacted with by the under current as the paddle is moving down.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved pivoting means for each blade or paddle, so that an abutting edge of each blade or paddle will contact with the arms of the wheel to limit the blade or paddle in a position when moving upwardly on one side of the shaft of the wheel, so that the under current will contact with the under side of the blade or paddle.

Another object of the invention is the provision of improved means for axially coupling a series of water wheels together and arranged upon the bed of a stream.

Another object of the invention is the pro- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 13, 1918.

Serial No. 95,208.

vision of coupling means for a series of water wheels, whereby the wheels may be accoi'nmodated to the unevenness of the bed of thestream.

In practical fields the details of construction may necessitate alterations falling within the scope of what is claimed.

The invention comprises further features and combination of parts as hereinafter set forth, shown in the drawings and claimed.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a transverse sectional view through a stream, showing a series of undercurrent waterwheels. coupled together sub stantially axially and arranged upon a base on the bed of the stream.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view on line 2-2 of Fig. 1 showing the positions of the blades or paddles while the wheel is in motion.

Fig. 3 is a sectional View on line 33 of Fig. 2. I

Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of a pair of oppositely disposed arms on one of the wheels, showing the pivotal connections of the blade to the arms.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detailed perspective view of the slip and universal connections between the shafts of "two adjacent water wheels. I

Referring more especially to the drawings 1 designates the bed of a stream, on which a base 2 of any suitable material is constructed. This base 2 is provided with a channel 3, in which the lower portions 4: of theU-shaped frames 5 are arranged. Mounted in bearings 6 of the upstanding arms of said U-shaped frames are the shafts 7. The shafts 7 are connected by universal joints 8 to the link shafts 9, which in turn are provided with socket members 10, the sockets ll of which are rectangular in cross section and receive the coupling shafts 12 (which are correspondingly rectangular in cross section), thereby providing slidable or slip joint connections between the shafts 7 of the under-current water wheels, thereby avoiding the necessity of coupling the water wheels at exact equal distances apart. Should a series of water wheels be submerged engaging an uneven or irregular bed without the use of a base 2, the universal connections and slip joints will permit the frames of the water wheels to accommodate themselves to the unevennesses of the bed of the stream. Mounted in a bearing 13 of a frame 1a of the embankment at the side of the stream is a shaft 15 having a universal connection 16 with a shaft 17, which has a socket member 18 to slidably receive a coupling shaft 19, which in turn enters a socket member 20, which is connected by a universal joint 8 to one of the shafts 7 of one of the wheels. The shaft 15 is geared to a vertical shaft 21 by means of a pair of bevel gears 22 and 23 so that power may be transmitted to the shaft 21, which may be geared in any suitable manner (not shown) to mechanism (not shown) to be operated. The slip or slidable joints enable longer or shorter sections 12 to be employed. The water wheel upon each of the shafts 7 comprises a pair of heads 24, which are keyed by means of the keys 25 to the shaft 7 and these heads are provided with radial arms 26. The heads are axially arranged, and the arms of one head are directly opposite the arms of the other head, and carried by the directly opposite arms are blades or paddles 27 and 28. Secured upon one face of each blade 27 near one edge and adjacent both ends are short rods 29 having portions 30 offset from one face of the blade. These offset portions are pivotally j ournaled in apertures or bearings 31 of the outer ends of the direct y opposite arms. The short rods 29 and their offset portions 30 are so arranged relative to one edge of each of the blades 27, that when said wheel is in motion, the blades 27 at the top of the wheel or above a horizontal line through the shaft, will feather through the water, while the blades 27 below said horizontal line and moving downwardly will lie directly against the edges of their respective arms, so that the under-current of the stream will act thereon and impart motion to the wheel. However, just as each pair of directly opposite arms substantially reach said horizontal line transversely through the shaft, their respective blade 27 will swing downwardly, so that the edge (adjacent which the short rods 29 are arranged) will abut or contact with the outer end edge of the directly opposite arms, thereby holding the blade in the position shown in Fig. 2 upon the right hand side of the wheel, so that the under-current will be deflected by the under face of the blade, thereby increasing the momentum or revoluble motion of the wheel. Each blade 28 upon one face thereof near one edge and adjacent both ends is provided with short rods 33, which are also provided with offset portions 34, which are pivotally journaled in apertures or bearings 35 of the directly opposite arms.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for The blades 28 at the top of the wheel while the same is in motion also feather through the water, until the blade 28 reaches the horizontal line transversely through the shaft, and after the blade 28 passes below said imaginary horizontal line, the undercurrent acts upon the blade, holding its opposite end portions against the corresponding edges of the directly opposite arms so as to also impart motion to the wheel. The opposite end portions of each blade 28 adjacent the offset portions of its respective short rods are provided with cut away portions 36. Each of said blades 28 remain in contact with the corresponding edges of the directly opposite arms when traveling upwardly on the right hand side of the wheel in Fig. 2, until it substantially reaches said imaginary horizontal line extendingtransversely through the shaft, whereupon the blade 28 drops to a position as shown at a in Fig. 2, the edges 37 of said cut away portions 36 engage the corresponding edges of the arms, thereby holding the blade 28 in such a position as seen at a in Fig; 2, so that the under-current of the stream will be deflected by the blade, thereby increasing the momentum or revoluble movement of the wheel.

The invention having been set forth, what is claimed as new and useful is In an under current water wheel, a shaft, a pair of heads mounted axially on said shaft and having radial arms, the arms of one head being directly opposite the arms of the other head, a pair of blades carried by each pair of oppositely disposed arms, the ends of one blade adjacent-one of the longitudinal edges thereof having angular cutaway portions, offset pins adjacent said cutaway portions pivotally mounted in said opposite pair of arms said cutaway portions having shoulders adapted to engage said pair of oppositely disposed arms to limit the blade having cutaway portions at an obtuse angle with relation to said oppositely disposed arms, whereby the current of the stream will act first against the under side of the blade, the other blade being carried pivotally by the. outer ends of said oppositely disposed arms, and means to limit the outer blade at obtuse angles to said arms. Y

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANK J. LUICK.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0. 

